Funding for Youth Development

Positive Experiences + Positive Relationships + Positive Environments = Positive Youth Development

Based on the literature, the Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs, a collaboration of 19 federal departments and agencies that support youth, has created the following definition of positive youth development (PYD):

PYD is an intentional, prosocial approach that engages youth within their communities, schools, organizations, peer groups, and families in a manner that is productive and constructive; recognizes, utilizes, and enhances young people's strengths; and promotes positive outcomes for young people by providing opportunities, fostering positive relationships, and furnishing the support needed to build on their leadership strengths.

The Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs developed a research agenda focused on positive youth development. Through a collaborative consensus-building process, representatives from federal agencies identified three research domains (conceptual issues, data sources and indicators, and program implementation and effectiveness) and key research questions that could benefit from future research.

PYD has its origins in the field of prevention. In the past, prevention efforts typically focused on single problems before they surfaced in youth, such as teen pregnancy, substance abuse, and juvenile delinquency.

Over time, practitioners, policymakers, funders, and researchers determined that promoting positive asset building and considering young people as resources were critical strategies. As a result, the youth development field began examining the role of resiliency - the protective factors in a young person's environment - and how these factors could influence one's ability to overcome adversity. Those factors included, but were not limited to, family support and monitoring; caring adults; positive peer groups; strong sense of self, self-esteem, and future aspirations; and engagement in school and community activities.

Researchers and practitioners began to report that young people who possess a diverse set of protective factors can, in fact, experience more positive outcomes. These findings encouraged the development of interventions and programs that reduce risks and strengthen protective factors. The programs and interventions are strengthened when they involve and engage youth as equal partners, ultimately providing benefits for both for the program and the involved youth.

Source: youth.gov

Foundation and philanthropic support for youth development from around the Web.



Community Fund Grants Awarded

An Indiana community foundation has awarded more than $138,000 in grants as part of its fourth-quarter grants cycle. The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County recently awarded $138,442 in...more

Made in Nigeria Car: Fg Urged to Create Enabling Environment for Creative Design Engineers

"The world is now on your palm, go and practice and become a master in the art," says Funmilade Akingbagbohu, chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Akingbagbohu was...more

Local Nonprofits Get Grants From Princeton Area Community Foundation
Foundation: Princeton Area Community Foundation

The Princeton Area Community Foundation has awarded more than $1 million in grants to more than 60 community organizations in the New Jersey city. The grants, awarded in the Community Impact and...more

Warriors Community Foundation Opens San Francisco Generation Thrive Location

Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors aren't just on the court anymore. They're also helping out. The NBA team's foundation, the Warriors Community Foundation, has awarded a record-breaking...more

More States Allocating Cannabis Tax Revenue For Social Equity

Washington is one of several states that have set aside monies from marijuana tax proceeds to support social equality initiatives. Gov. Jay Inslee wants $125 million per year to be allocated to areas...more

Arkansas Black Hall of Fame Foundation Grants Available
Foundation: Arkansas Community Foundation

Arkansas Black Hall of Fame Foundation (ABHOF), in collaboration with Arkansas Community Foundation, is granting grants to initiatives in Arkansas that help African Americans or other neglected...more

Thurston TOGETHER! Launches HOST Homes for Unaccompanied Youth
Foundation: Community Foundation of South Puget Sound

TOGETHER! has been igniting change across the South Sound and beyond since 1989 with health promotion, youth development and prevention initiatives. TOGETHER! is acutely aware of the alarmingly...more

Big Donations for Youth Development
Foundation: Central Valley Community Foundation

Over $500,000 was awarded by the Central Valley Community Foundation to seven community organizations for work in youth development. Fresno County in California has a high rate of teen pregnancy...more

Golden State Warriors Donate $530000 for Underserved Youth in the Bay Area

The Warriors Community Foundation, along with the Koret Foundation, Taube Family Foundation and Pacific Gas and Electric Company, picked up the Hoops for Kids program again. Through this program, the...more

Volunteer Connect gets grants to expand youth volunteering

Volunteer Connect has received money, in the form of grants, which has allowed them to expand their youth volunteering team. The volunteers work with younger children on homework, physical...more




Find Top Fifty Foundation Givers

Source: Foundation Stats (Foundation Center) / CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Social Enterprise Network Sites


Youth News from...


Quest Diagnostics Foundation


Co-founders William Mann and David Mravyan devised the Sensimat during a mandatory project for their MBA at the Richard Ivey School of Business in Canada. Sensimat is a device that helps manage and assess pressure among wheelchair users.




Nonprofit Jobs

  Social Work Jobs
  Substance Abuse Jobs
  Program Director Jobs
  Foundation Related Jobs
  Executive Director Jobs


Federal Government Grant and Assistance Programs


National Prison Rape Statistics Program | Disability Employment Policy Development | Recreational Trails Program | Secondary and Two-Year Postsecondary Agriculture Education Challenge Grants | Health Professions Recruitment Program for Indians | Lower Snake River Compensation Plan | Special Education Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabiliti | Faculty Exchange Program | | Site Style by YAML | Grants.gov | Grants | Grants News | Sitemap | Privacy Policy

Edited by: Michael Saunders

© 2008-2023 Copyright Michael Saunders